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Chakwal District
Chakwal is located in the north of Punjab
Area	6524 km²
Population (1998)  • Density	1083725  • /km²
Time zone	PST (UTC+5)
Established  • District Nazim  • District Naib Nazim  • District Council  • Number of Tehsils	• Sardar Ghulam Abbas Khan  • Sardar Amjad Ilyas  • {{{seats}}} seats   • 4
Main language(s)	Punjabi
Website	[1]

Chakwal (Urdu: چکوال) is a district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Chakwal district was created in 1985, until the year 2000 when divisions were abolished, it was part of Rawalpindi Division.

Administration

The district of Chakwal, which covers an area of 6,524¹, is subdivided into 4 tehsils ², these tehsils were formerly past of neighbouring districts:

• Chakwal of Jhelum District
• Talagang of Attock District and police station Choa Saidan Shah, carved out of subdivision Pind Dadan Khan, Jhelum District, and amalgamating it with sub-division Chakwal. Choa Saidan Shah was upgraded to the level of a sub-division in 1993.

At present district Chakwal consists of 4 subdivisions - Chakwal, Talagang , Choa Saidan Shah,and Kallar Kahar, 23 qanungois and 198 patwar circles. The police subdivisions correspond with those of the district administration and there are 11 police stations- Chakwal City, Saddar, Kallar Kahar, Dhumman, Nila, Dhudhial, Talagang City, Saddar, Tamman, Lawa and Choa Saidan Shah.

The district is administratively subdivided into four tehsils and 68 Union Councils³

Constituencies

There is one district council, two municipal committees- Chakwal and Talagang and two town committees- Choa Saidan Shah and Kallar Kahar.

The district is represented in the National Assembly by two constituencies NA-60 and NA-61. The district is represented in the provincial assembly by four elected MPAs who represent the following constituencies: ⁴

Topography

Chakwal district borders the districts of Rawalpindi and Attock in the north, Jhelum in the east, Khushab in the south and Mianwali in the west. The total area of Chakwal district is 6,609 square kilometres, which is equivalent to 1,652,443 acres (6,687.20 km²).

The southern portion runs up into the Salt Range, and includes the Chail peak, 3,701 feet (1,128 m) above the sea, the highest point in the District. Between this and the Sohan river, which follows more or less the northern boundary, the country consists of what was once a fairly level plain, sloping down from 2,000 feet (610 m) at the foot of the hills to 1,400 feet (430 m) in the neighbourhood of the Sohan ; but the surface is now much cut up by ravines and is very difficult to travel over⁵.

Lying at the beginning of the Potohar plateau and the Salt Range, Chakwal is a barani district and the terrain is mainly hilly, covered with scrub forest in the southwest, and levelled plains interspaced with dry rocky patches in the north and northeast.

Demography

According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, the total population is 1,083,725 of which 12.01% only were urban making Chakwal the most rural district in Punjab. ⁶

The tribes, clans and castes that inhabit this area are the Awans, Jatt Bhutta, Mair Minhas Rajputs, Kahuts, Mughal, Kassars, Janjua Rajputs, Gujars, Gondals, Syeds, Arains and the Sheikhs. The physical features of the district, its tribes, its society and its economy all combine to make Chakwal one of the main recruiting areas for the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Air Force. Other main occupations of the people are agriculture and mining. Transport and poultry business is also important.

History

British era

During British rule, Chakwal was a tehsil of Jhelum district, the population according to the 1891 census of India was 164,912 which had fallen to 160,316 in 1901. It contained the towns of Chakwal and Bhaun and 248 villages. The land revenue and cesses amounted in 1903-4 to 3-3 lakhs.

The tehsil lies between 32° 45' and 33°13' N. and 72°32' and 73° 13' E., with an area of 1,004 square miles⁵

Historical sites

Quite a number of historical sites lie in the undulations of Chakwal, the more important of which are:

Katas Raj

Katas Raj is a medieval town sacred to the Hindus and lies about 5 kilometres west of Choa Saidan Shah on the Choa-Kallar Kahar road. Its importance is derived from the fact that it contains over a 100 temples built over a period of more than a 1000 years by its Hindu Rajas. Some of these temples are dilapidated but a large number of them have been well maintained. Hindu pilgrims from all over Pakistan and India frequently visit this town to worship. Katas Raj at its peak time was the well renowned University, a famous mathematician Alberuni measured the circumference of the earth while he was studying the Sanskrit in this University.

Kallar Kahar

Kallar Kahar has always been renowned throughout the country for its peacocks and its fresh water lake and for the Takht-e-Babri, a flat stage built of stone by emperor Babar to address his army while coming down from Kabul in the quest of the crown of Delhi. During his stay at Kallar Kahar he also planted a garden, which still exists, called the Bagh-e-Safa.

Thanil Kamal

Thanil Kamal is one of the medium sized village in Tehsil Chakwal and renowned in the area for the incredible educational and social achievements made by the residents. It is also famous for the weekly farm animal market which has continuously operated for over 100 years. This village was never under feudal influence and ownership of the feudal landowners in contrast to the other villages all around.

Khoday Sharif

Khoday Sharif is also one of the medium village in Tehsil chakwal in the area for mostly peoples are residing in America,U.K,Dubai,Saudiarabia.It is also famous for bull race.This village was never under feudal influence and ownership of feudal landowners in contrast to the other villages all around.

Uthwal

Uthwal is one of old and medium sized village in Tehsil Chakwal in the area for mostly people are residing in UAE and Saudiarabia. It is also famous for growing peanuts (Mongphali) and vegetables. This village was never under feudal influence and ownership of the feudal landowners in contrast to the other villages all around.

Economy

The district of Chakwal is mainly a rural agrarian area and the main source of income is agriculture, however many people prefer to join armed forces like Pakistan Army, Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force. Chakwal has the highest proportion of it population serving in the Armed forces of Pakistan.

A small percentage of the population is employed in the trading sector, a smaller portion as industrial and mining labour and a very small fraction is employed in technical fields like health, education, banking and engineering.

Lately the district has experience growth in Information Technology which has brought a lot of IT professionals in the IT and Telcom industry and the number is growing very fast. Chakwal has recently bestowed with Kanaish fone and trade (PVT) limited, Chakwal's first Pay Phone Company authorised by Pakistan telecommunication authority.Jamshaid Iqbal Choudhary is the Chief executve of Kanaish fone & Trade (PVT)LTD, while Muhamamd Luqman Aish is one of the director of this Compnay.Which is providing services of telecommunication in Chakwal district almost for more than three and a half year.

Food and health

The food which the people of Chakwal consume is basically simple too. In the rural areas vegetables, lentils or meat, cooked very simple in butter or ghee is eaten with roti (bread) baked from wheat flour or sometimes with rice. There is a considerable use of milk and its products. In the urban areas the staple food is the same, but continental food has also made a place for itself. Fried and roasted meat, sandwiches, patties, pizza and burgers are well liked. The people of Chakwal, owing to their simple eating habits, hard work and rough terrain, are strong and healthy. However, in the urban white collared classes, diseases, which occur because of sedentary life styles, are prevalent.

The most well known and favourite food product coming from Chakwal is a sweet called Riyori (pronounced ree-o-ree). It is about the size of an M&M. it is basically a mixture of desi ghee (clarified butter) and gurr (jaggery) covered with sesame seeds.

Dress

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The dress that men, women and children of Chakwal district wear is very simple. Men generally wear shalwar qameez or dhoti kurta, a turban on special occasion, with chappals, khusas, sandals or moccasins. In the winter months they add a coat, sweater or a dhussa with it. The more educated class and the city dwellers also wear shirts with trousers, adding a coat and neck tie in the winters. Young boys can be seen wearing jeans and shirts occasionally.

Women almost invariably wear shalwar qameez with dupatta, and a woollen shawl or sweater in the winter. Saris or western dresses are never worn. Footwear consists of chappals or sandals. On occasions of festivity the Qameez and Dupatta are heavily embroidered. Ornaments of gold and silver are also worn depending on the occasion and the financial position.

Young boys wear qameez or a shirt and shalwar while young girls wear shalwar qameez or frocks with dupatta or hijab.

In matters of footwear too, the 'khussas' made in Chakwal are well known and in great demand all over Pakistan. Khussas are a type of flat heeled shoe made of pure leather. the closest I can come to describing them are moccasins, except that there is no or little covering around the arch of the foot.

Notable places

• Akwal village is situated west 3 miles (4.8 km) of Talagang, it is a wealthy village with schools and colleges for girls and boys, mostly the people are related recruited into the. Mr Noor Khan who was awarded the "Tamgha Shuja Bahdari" in the 1948 war for shooting down Indian aircraft near Muzaffarabad.

• Bhagwal is a famous town of the Chakwal. It has very important political town because the famous Journalist and Political Leader "Ayaz Ameer" belongs to this town.

• Bilalabad (Kufri) is one of the oldest towns of Tehsil Talagang. Its population is over eight thousand, before partition its dominant population were wealthy Hindus, whose businesses were spread up to Peshawar. The houses built by them are still master pieces of architecture. Most of the population are from the Awan. Beside farming the clan is noted for performing a distinguished role in Pakistan Defence Services and business. Where few years back Gentleman Cadit Umar Awan S/O Col(Rtd) Nazir awan and nephew of Wing Cdr Anwar Awan & Wing Cdr Ahmed Awan claimed "Sword of Honour" from Royal Military Academy Sandhurst UK.

• Budhial is a village located about 25 kilometres from Talagang. This a beautiful village, and has many places worth seeing.

• Choa Saidanshah village and tehsil of Chakwal are named after a famous Sufi Sakhi Saidan Sherazi Choa Saidan Shah. It is a beautiful valley of Chakwal

• Dharyala Kahun is a beautiful village situated at a hill top in the Kahoon valley, 13 km away from the centre of Choa Saiden Shah.

• Dhoular is a village of Tehsil Talagang, it is one of the oldest, largest and culturally rich village of the area.

• Dullah is a beautiful village of Tehsil Chakwal, it is one of the oldest villages, most of people are serving in the Pakistan army, but unfortunately a lot of work is still needed to promote literacy, some people are living without electricity.

• Lawa is one of the largest villages in Asia^{citation needed}, it is a village of Talagang Tehsil, it has a population of over 115,000.

• Khoday - this village is situated in North of City Chakwal total population of this village is near about 6,000. Most of the people of this village are now residing in UK, Hong Kong And Middle East. this village is popular for ox racing in district. The biggest tribe of this village are the Awans.

• Piera Fatehial is a village of Talagang, it is located about 15 km from Talagand. Its population is more than 10000, it is one of the most educated village in the area.

• Rupwal is one of the oldest and historic towns of Chakwal.

• Tamman is a medium sized village, located 30 km towards west from Talagang it is one of the oldest town with more than 10,000 population. Tamman High School, is considered as one of the most up to date high schools in the area.

References

1. ^ Official Website of Chakwal District
2. ^ List to tehsils and districts
3. ^ Tehsils & Unions in the District of Chakwal
4. ^ CHAKWAL (PP-20 to PP-23) - Website of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab
5. ^ ^{a b} Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 10, p. 126
6. ^ 1998 Census figures - Urban Resource Centre

External links

• District Chakwal

Coordinates: 33°40′38″N 72°51′21″E / 33.67722, 72.85583